I’m not sure if many people watch the Simpsons anymore, but I was a tremendous fan when I was in college years ago. One of the many catchphrases on the show was “Will somebody please think of the children?” It was exclaimed by the character Helen Lovejoy, the reverand’s wife, whenever some type of catastrophe, big or little, struck the town of Springfield.

I always thought it was a joke, but I felt like yelling it out Saturday afternoon. I was helping our sports editor Richard Greene cover a regional playoff game between the Alvord Lady Bulldogs and the Brock Lady Eagles.

I give the Brock girls a lot of credit. They played with confidence and skill. There is a lot to be said for having been there before. For the reigning state champs it was just another game. But for Alvord, which had a talented, dedicated and well-coached team as well, you could tell nerves played a role. This was the biggest game these girls had ever been a part of. Who wouldn’t be nervous?

I had the dubious pleasure of sitting at the scorers table, directly in front of the Brock fans. They were yelling just inches from the back of my head. And despite leading by 15 to 20 points for much of the game, they weren’t cheering very much. It was nonstop anger. There were grown women hissing, booing, screaming and cursing at the refs. I saw grown men standing and pointing and spewing venom at the Alvord players during timeouts. Young women just trying to play they best they can in a high pressure game were getting cursed by middle-aged white men in the stands.

It was outrageous. They couldn’t be happy that their girls were winning. They’d rath rant and rave and call refs and girls horrible names.

What kind of lessons are trickling down to the kids in the midst of such animal behavior? I couldn’t help but be reminded of Helen Lovejoy’s catchphrase during such an awful display of unsportsmanlike conduct by people who weren’t even playing the game. Being a passionate fan is one thing, but being hateful instead of simply supporting talented kids playing a game sends an unbalanced and frightening message to the ones this whole game is about.

14 Responses to “Will somebody please think of the children!?”

Hayli Gorrell

28. Feb, 2012

We wonder why our kids act like idiots now in society with being rude, having sex as if it’s no big deal, bullying, doing drugs, etc. Children learn by example and shame on these naive parents who thinks not my kid but yet show no example at public school functions. Starts in the home first!!!

What do you expect Brandon?
The Schools decided they didn’t need God in schools in 1963 by removing prayer out of our so called “Learning Institutions.”
It never fails to amaze me how we think people and students ought to have fine, upstanding, yes, Christian morals when the schools, society, humanistic-plagued school systems have decided the Lord God who created our knuckle-headed selves, is no longer welcome inside our public school.
That’s like expecting your car to start after you’ve removed the battery friends.
Nothing surprises me anymore that goes on in public schools and the sports arena in them.
especially here in my beloved Lone Star state of Texas, the public schools, and primarily rural schools, have replaced the Morals and Ideals of a once Godly system with their own God: Sports.
There lies the root to this problematic thing you are complaining about in this very article Brandon: Replacing God, THE GOD, with a False God, athletics.
Until this nation, our state, our rural areas decide that it’s time to return back to REAL IDEALS/MORALS that were and are plainly laid out in God’s Holy Word, you will continue to see these immoral acts of random stupidity.
Don’t expect some “Miracle-Athletics-Healing.” it won’t happen.
It totally amazes me Brandon that every time there’s a tragedy, a suicide, a death amongst the Teens and schools here in North Texas, everybody wants to invoke “God.”
When the other 364 days a year they leave him sitting in their Big Ol King James sitting on the coffee table. Sorry folks, but that is just flat out unrealistic and gnorant of who God really is…Moe

And it wasn’t just the fans on that side. The Brock team could also be heard cursing the refs and our players. Their coaching staff should be ashamed of themselves. Alvord Lady Bulldogs played with their hearts and showed true class and character that has been instilled in them by a great coaching staff and community. I can not say the same for Brock. We may have lost that game point wise but these girls are true champions in my book. It is a shame that refs at that level allowed such behavior to take place. They should all be banned from the court.

Thanks for writing this Brandon – I hope the Brock fans take the time to read it. I think most of us are quilty of name calling when it comes to the refs making bad calls….I know I am. There are no good excuses for it, it won’t change anything, yet we do it anyway.
However, the line is crossed when parents and team members are allowed to curse at the opposing players, and the Brock players are allowed to curse at the refs without getting T’ed up. One has to wonder who is really running the show.
Our girls played a great game – they matched up to Brock in every area, except shot percentage and bad attitudes. And thank God for that.
The Lady Bulldogs represented Wise County and the town of Alvord very well – that cannot be said about Brock after their displayed behavior.

Let me first write that I was unable to attend the Alvord-Brock game Saturday, so I cannot comment on the accuracy of the specific comments. I have, as a long-time sports fan (I saw my first basketball game in 1943) and a recent convert to high school girls’ basketball, come to appreciate the fan support and the players’ on-court behavior in nearly every game I’ve watched in the past six years. In games in which the Krum Lady Cats have not been involved, I have sat in the stands with fans from Alvord, Ponder, Gunter, and Brock, to name a few. Aside from hollering at the refs, which nearly everyone does (and I haven’t been able to cure myself, though in the recent Krum-Brock game, I only complained once), I have not noticed the kind of fan behavior described in this thread. In the last three years, I have watched Brock play several times, including in losses to Weatherford and Liberty Christian last year and to THESA this year at Brock. I’ve not noticed Brock fans abusing opposing players nor Brock players cursing at refs or at opponents. Nor have I noticed that kind of behavior from any other group of fans. Last year, I sat with Gunter fans in the first half of their game against Brock and with Brock fans in the second half of their game. I give coaches high credit for teaching their players not to show negative emotion when a questionable call is made. I have a particular soft spot in my heart for the Lady Bulldogs, who teamed with the Lady Cats in the summer on the North Texas Dreams club team. The only instance I can recall of player on court behavior involved a play in a playoff game two years ago when one of my favorite players, Jordan Ward, was hurt (but came back strong) by a player who had shown similar tendencies in a couple of games against Krum. Understand, please, that I don’t doubt the incidents described above. I only suggest that they are not representative of the majority of the fans I have seen in the stands supporting Brock. I congratulate Jordan, by the way, for her second year in a row as District 9-2A MVP, and the other Lady Bulldogs for their well-deserved all-district honors. They are coached by an outstanding young gentleman who will produce many more winning seasons at Alvord.

My girls play for Godley we play the eagles 3 or more times a year and have never experienced this . I am surprised to hear it but if it is true it’s not only Brock it’s about 70% of schools. We hear this a lot and are also guilty of it and I’m positive Alvord’s Not completely innocent either but it’s not as good of a story if You tell it that way. Look it’s like this weather it’s the people from Brock being obnoxious rude satin worshipers . Or Alvord being winey perfect poor losers or this writer needing to get a story to keep his little job at the what is it the “wcmessenger” ok ?? We all need to remember it just a game enjoy it and life is not always fair. GOOD LUCK at state eagles !! and go wildcats.

WOW !! I got a student on the jv teem in Brock and have been to all the games and was at this one and did not experience this . usually on the loosing team the crowd gets angry and yells at the refs but never once heard anyone yell at a player in fact the only disapproval i heard from the fans is when one of the Brock girls got elbowed in the face and went to the ground and a foul was not called and the Alvord fans cheering when the girl got hit …..
maybe the writer didn’t here Alvord spewing venom because he was sitting on the Brock side . anyways i love Brock and the Brock lady eagles and here we come STATE !!!!!

Sour Grapes?? This story is totally inaccurate and biased. I attended this event with young children and sat in the lower section behind scores table and never heard any of this. Sure Brock fans are passioniate and cheer loud, but never did i hear any cussing. I truly feel the lessons Brock children are learning are positive ones and totally disagree with this article. Congrats to the Lady Bulldogs on an outstanding season and Good luck to the Lady Eagles at state. Four in a row !!!!!

Will somebody please think of the children when you post inaccurate and malicious comments about a group of young women working their tails off to accomplish a once in a lifetime goal of four state championships in a row?
All of you are being just as malicious with your comments.
A post by one of the alvord girls on Facebook stated that the Brock girls didn’t deserve to win before the game was even played. Alvord fans booed one of the Brock players after she pulled herself up off the floor with a bloody lip and protested to the ref. But wait, you forgot to mention that.

hypocrite
(1) A person who engages in the same behaviors he condemns others for.

The exchanges between fans could be considered “sour grapes” if that is how one wants to perceive it. I was there – I thought Brandon’s article was very accurate – but I’m an Alvord fan – so I might be just a bit bias. I also stand on the side lines with a telephoto lens, so I may see and hear more than most.
Big picture – we all need to clean up our act. And so do the refs. Players cussing at the refs should not be tolerated – no matter who you are.
That being said – Both teams played with heart and passion. Congrats on a great season.

I feel duty bound, as a retired newspaper editor, to point out my personal opinion that Wise County readers are fortunate to have a local newspaper that does such a thorough job of covering its area.
I have told Richard Greene, in person, that I appreciate his work. Krum’s four girls’ basketball games with Wise County teams were thoroughly and fairly covered.
My earlier post in this thread should not be taken as criticism of the WCM, only a suggestion that the few fans who behaved as described do not reflect the attitude of the majority of the Brock fans.
During the past three years I have developed a high personal regard for both the Ward family in Alvord and the Cole family in Brock.
Yes, there are some acts that need to be cleaned up, and perhaps the above discussion will help.